JPH022041A - Image processing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To form a new image by compressing the blank part between characters by discriminating between the character part in the original image and the blank part between characters and making the ratio of the blank part between characters to the character part smaller than that in the original image. CONSTITUTION:A microprocessor part 3 searches whether the bits from the first bit alpha of the first row (a) of a RAM part 4 to the final bit beta thereof are '0'. If all of the bits of the first row (a) are not '0', the microprocessor part 3 advances to the second row and, when all of the bits are '0', the first row (a) is judged to be a blank row and counting is over to advance to the second row. When a row other than the blank row appears before the blank row reaches a predetermined value c' or more, the blank row up to that time is judged to be the blank row contained in a character but not the blank part between characters and counting is returned to 0. When the blank row reaches a predetermined value c' or more, the blank row is further counted and, when a row other than the blank row appears, the blank part between characters is judged to be finished and predetermined value (d) is eliminated from (c) blank rows counted up to now. Thereupon, since (d) blanks are generated, rear data is moved up forwardly.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an image processing device, and more specifically, an image processing device that can compress blank areas between characters (blank areas between characters). Regarding.

[Conventional technology]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been known a copying apparatus that reads one line of a document with a scanner, stores the image, and then prints on paper based on the image the same size, enlargement, or reduction of the characters on the document.

In such a conventional copying apparatus, the character portions and the blank portions between characters in the image are the same, and the ratio of the two is the same in both the original document and the printed paper.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

As mentioned above, in the past, character parts and spaces between characters were treated equally, so when printing can only be done in a certain space on the paper, there is a problem in that it is not possible to print the necessary character part because of the spaces between characters. was there.

Also, when the printing space on paper is small and printing must be reduced, reducing the text too much may make it difficult to read (
Therefore, there are cases where it is desired to compress the space between characters and reduce the reduction rate of the character part by that amount, but such a case could not be handled.

Furthermore, when performing enlarged printing, it is sufficient to enlarge only the character portion, but since the space between characters is also enlarged in the same way as the character portion, there is a problem in that paper space is wasted.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an image processing apparatus that can form a new IIVf image by compressing the occupation ratio of blank spaces between characters compared to the original image.

[Means to solve the problem]

The image processing device of the present invention includes an original image storage means for storing images of some characters arranged in the row direction, a partial discrimination means for discriminating between a character part and a blank part between characters in the original image, and
The present invention is characterized in that it is equipped with a new image forming means that forms a new image by making the ratio of the blank space between characters to the character part smaller than the value in the original image.

[Effect]

According to the image processing apparatus of the present invention, a new image is formed by discriminating character parts and inter-character blank parts in the original image, and reducing the ratio of the inter-character blank parts to the character parts.

Therefore, the blank parts between characters are compressed more than the original image, so the memory that stores the image, the display that displays it,
This means that more or larger characters can be formed in a limited area of printing paper or the like than before.

(Example) Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in more detail based on the example shown in the drawings.
2 is a perspective view of the handy copying machine, FIG. 3 is a flowchart of an example of the processing of the handy copying machine according to the present invention, and FIG. 4 shows image data in the RAM section. FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram showing changes in the contents of the image memory due to the processing shown in FIG. 3, and FIG. The flowcharts, FIGS. 7 and 8, are conceptual diagrams showing changes in the contents of the image memory due to the processing shown in FIG. Note that the present invention is not limited to these Examples.

As shown in FIG. 1, the handy copying machine 1 has a document surface G
is read by the sensor unit 2, inputted to the RAM unit 4 via the microprocessor unit 3, and the original image is stored.

The stored original image is output to the printer section 5 via the microprocessor section 3 and printed on paper.

The operation of the microprocessor section 3 is performed according to the procedure stored in the ROM section 6.

The pinch sensor 7 is provided to determine the timing of document reading and the timing of printing.

FIG. 2 shows the external appearance of this handy copying machine 1, in which the hand is moved in the line direction as shown by the arrow and traced on the surface of a document or paper to read the document or print on the paper.

The sensor unit 2 performs reading in the column direction perpendicular to the row direction in which the handy copying machine 1 is moved, and the printer unit 5 performs printing. Therefore, two-dimensional reading and two-dimensional Printing is done.

Next, the processing of this handy copying machine 1 will be explained with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5.

In FIG. 3, first, all data from the sensor section 2 is stored in the RAM section 4 (31), and the reading pinch in the row direction at this time is expressed by the linear density adot/n.

Conceptually, the data in the RAM section 4 can be considered to be arranged as shown in FIG. Here, "0" represents a blank part, and "1" represents a part of a character.

In addition, as a whole, image data is stored in the RAM section 4 as shown in FIG. 5 fat, for example.

The microprocessor unit 3 searches for rOJ starting from the first bit α of the first column a to the last bit β of the first column a shown in FIG. 4 (32,
33, 34).

If all bits in the first column a are not “0” (
S4), proceed to the second column (S5.S6°S7).

If all the bits in the first column a are "0" (34), the first column a is determined to be a blank column, the count is increased (38), and the process proceeds to the second column (S9). ,36.S
7).

Blank columns are counted in this way, but if a non-blank column appears before the blank column reaches a predetermined value of 07 or more, the blank column up to that point will be included in the characters instead of in the blank space between characters. It is determined that the blank column is a blank column, and the count is returned to 0 (S9.
l.

Si2, 313), when a column that is not a blank column appears (S1
0), it is determined that the blank space between characters has ended, and a predetermined value of d blanks are deleted from the zero blank string that was counted (5
14), FIG. 5 (bl represents this state.

The number d to be deleted may be determined, for example, by d=c/2 or by d=cc'.

If d blank columns are deleted, d spaces will be created, so the data after that space will be moved forward by the space (315). Therefore, the space will be moved to the end of RAM section 4. Become.

FIG. 5 (C1 represents this state.

Next, a search for a blank string as described above is started from the beginning of the moved data (S16).

If the image is processed in this way until it is uncropped (S6 or S
12,517), the situation is as shown in fd+ in FIG.

That is, the character portion remains the same as the original image, and the blank portion between characters is compressed.

Next, when the paper is traced as shown in FIG. 2, the microprocessor section 3 causes the printer section 5 to print.
(318), the printing pitch in the row direction at this time is the linear density b
When expressed in dot/is, if a=b with respect to the linear density a at the time of reading, the character portion is copied at the same size and the space between characters is reduced.

Further, if b>a, the character portion is reduced and printed, but the space between characters is reduced at an even greater reduction rate than the character portion. FIG. 5(e) shows the print formed in this manner.

Furthermore, if b<a, the character portion will be printed in an enlarged manner, and the space between characters will have a smaller enlargement ratio than the character portion. FIG. 5 (fl represents this state.

In this manner, the handy copying machine 1 can compress and copy the blank spaces between characters.

Next, FIGS. 6 to 8 show an embodiment in which processing is performed using a method different from the above-described processing. This operation will be explained below.

First, an image is read and stored in the RAM section 4 (tJ
l), which is similar to the process described above. As a result, the 7th
Image data as shown in Figure Fa+ is obtained.

The microprocessor unit 3 sets the first column of the image data as the column mark, inter-X, and Y (U2).

Next, it is checked whether the column indicated by column pointer Y is a blank column or not, and if it is a blank column, the number is counted (U3~
U8).

When the column pointer Y reaches the first column of the character part C7),
When the blank column count value e is obtained (see FIG. 7), it is checked whether the other values e are greater than or equal to a predetermined value e' (U9).

Then, if e≧e', it is determined that it is not a blank string included in a character portion but a blank space between one character, and the number f of blank strings to be left is determined based on the value e.

For example, let f=e/2.

Once the number f of blank columns to be left is determined, the column pointer X is blanked by f columns (Ull), and the column pointer X is advanced to X+f (tJl2). FIG. 7 fcl shows this state.

Next, the column pointer Y is not out of the image (U13),
If the column indicated by column pointer Y is not a blank column (U3), the column indicated by column pointer Y is moved to column pointer X.
Copy it to the position indicated by (U14), and repeat this until a blank column appears (Ul 5. Ul 3.
, U3), column pointers X and Y advance sequentially. Figure 7+d
+ represents this state.

When a blank column appears (U3), the above steps U4 to υ1
Repeat step 5 in FIG. 7 (el to tg+ represent this state.

When the blank column at the end of the image data is searched and the column pointer Y moves out of the image (U6), the above steps U9 to U1 are executed.
After leaving a predetermined blank column f by 2, the column printer X is advanced to the last blank column (U16), and the following is cleared. The 7111th thl to fil represent this state.

In this way, you can obtain image data with the blank spaces between characters compressed, so you can leave it as is when copying at the same size, perform "thinning" when copying at reduced size, and "increase" the data when copying at enlarged size. (U17), FIG. 7(g)) shows the case of reduced copying, and FIG. 7(1) shows the case of enlarged copying.

Next, when image data as shown in FIG. 8+11 is obtained, how the image data in the RAM unit 4 changes by the processing shown in FIG. 6 will be explained.

This example differs from the example shown in FIG. 7 in that there is no blank space at the beginning and end of the image data and that the characters include blank strings.

First, for the character part at the beginning of the image data, since the column pointer Pointer XY advances (U2,03.tJ
14. tJ15. tJ13), this situation is shown in Figure 8Cb)
It is shown in

When a blank column is detected, the number e of blank columns is counted (U4 to U8), and No. 8111 (C1 represents this state).

However, since the counted number of blank columns e is not greater than the predetermined value e' (U9), a column e back from the column pointer Y is specified as the new column pointer Y'(UlB>.

FIG. 8 (dl represents this state.

Then, the contents indicated by column pointer Y' are transferred to column pointer
Store it in the column indicated by and repeat this until column pointer Y' matches column pointer Y (U19-U21). From this, the blank string contained in the character is copied as is,
Figure 8 (el
represents this state.

Next, Fig. 8 In ~ (hl is Fig. 7 fat ~ tc
This is the same as the compression of the blank portion at the beginning of image data, which was explained with reference to +.

Next, +11 in FIG. 8 is the same as +d+ in FIG. 7, and "1" on the left side of the character "11" is copied.

Next, in FIG. 801, the number e of blank columns is counted, but since this number e of blank columns is not greater than a predetermined value e', the blank column is directly copied to the previous character portion. 8th
Figures (G) and (1) represent this state.

Next, as shown in FIG. 8+11, "1" on the right side of the character rill is copied.

Next, as shown in FIG. 8(b), a compressed space between characters is formed, and further, as shown in FIG. 8(0),
The character part at the end of the image data is copied, and the rest is left blank.

In this way, only the spaces between characters are compressed without compressing the character parts. The subsequent processing is similar to the processing described with reference to FIG.

(Effects of the Invention) According to the present invention, there is provided an original image storage means for storing images of some characters arranged in the row direction, a partial discrimination means for discriminating between character parts and inter-character blank parts in the original image, and There is provided an image processing device characterized by comprising a new image forming means for forming a new image by making the ratio of the blank space between characters to the character part smaller than the value in the original image. Since it is compressed, it becomes possible to increase the size of characters or increase the number of characters that can be included in a certain area.

In addition, when applied to a copying machine, for example, when making a reduced copy, the reduction rate of blank areas between characters is large and the reduction rate of character parts is small, making it easier to read characters. Furthermore, during enlarged copying, the enlargement rate of blank spaces between characters is smaller than the enlargement rate of character parts, so that unnecessary blanks are prevented from being generated.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a handy copying machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the handy copying machine, and FIG.
The figure is a flowchart of an example of the process according to the present invention of the same handy copying machine, FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing image data in the RAM section, and FIG. FIG. 6 is a flowchart of another example of the process according to the present invention for the handy copying machine shown in FIG. 1, and FIGS. It is a conceptual diagram showing a change. [Explanation of symbols] 1...Handy copier 2...Sensor section 3...Microprocessor section 4...RAM section 5...Printer section 6...ROM section 7...Pitch sensor G...Manuscript.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Original image storage means for storing images of a group of characters arranged in the row direction, partial discrimination means for discriminating between character parts and inter-character blank parts in the original image, and ratio of inter-character blank parts to character parts An image processing device comprising: a new image forming means for forming a new image by making the value smaller than the value in the original image.